Washington, DC [US], October 21 : A New York judge fined former US President Donald Trump USD 5000 after a derogatory post about the judge's principal clerk was not removed from the 2024 candidate's campaign website, even after receiving the judge's order, as reported by The Hill.
However, Judge Arthur Engoron did not hold Trump in contempt of court, but he warned of violation of the gag order he imposed after Trump's Truth Social account made the post, which could result in strict punishment, including steeper financial penalties, contempt or even sentence in jail.
"Donald Trump has received ample warning from this Court as to the possible repercussions of violating the gag order. He specifically acknowledged that he understood and would abide by it," Engoron said.
"Accordingly, issuing yet another warning is no longer appropriate; this Court is way beyond the 'warning' stage," he added.
The post published by Trump mocked her as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D-N.Y.) "girlfriend" and included personally identifying information about her, reported The Hill.
Soon after Ergogan came to know about Trump's post, he issued a limited gag order barring Trump or any other party in the case from posting or speaking publicly about his staff members.
He further ordered Trump to delete the post, however, as it was removed from his Truth Social account, it was still there on his campaign website for 17 days.
Following the incident, Trump's lawyer Chris Kise called it an unintentional oversight and blamed the "very large machine" of Trump's presidential campaign for allowing his deleted social media post to remain on his website.
Moreover, Engoron acknowledged Trump's assertion, stating that his post was inadvertent and said that he would give him the "benefit of the doubt."
However, the gag order was still violated, he warned, "current overheated climate, incendiary untruths can, and in some cases already have, led to serious physical harm, and worse," according to The Hill.
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